Prevalence of Neck Pain and Device Use Among Medical Students at Sriwijaya University

Abstract

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Prolonged use of electronic devices and nonergonomic working posture have been investigated as potential factors associated with neck pain. This study examined the associations of working posture and device-use duration with neck pain among medical students at Sriwijaya University. This analytical cross-sectional study included 102 medical students selected by simple random sampling. Device-use duration and neck-pain complaints were assessed using a questionnaire. Working posture was evaluated using photographs and the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA). Descriptive and bivariate statistical analyses were performed. Neck pain was reported by 90 students (88.2%). A total of 96 students (94.1%) were classified as having medium-risk working posture, and 100 students (98.0%) reported using devices for more than 2 hours. No statistically significant association was observed between working posture and neck pain (p = 0.357) or between device-use duration and neck pain (p = 1.000). Neck pain was common among the medical students studied; however, neither working-posture risk category nor duration of device use was significantly associated with neck pain.